Author: Jon Bell

Presented by David Goldberg, FAIA, President, MITHUN, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

The second keynote speaker of the 2023 AIA Colorado Practice and Design Conference was Dave Goldberg from the architecture firm Mithun. As president of the practice, Dave presented the projects and approach to architecture that led to the firm’s selection as the 2023 AIA Architecture Firm of the Year.

Mithun was founded in 1949 by Omer Mithun in the Pacific Northwest and is now considered to be in its fourth and fifth generations of leadership. Dave focused on the evolution of the practice and their arrival at today’s mission of “Design for Positive Change.” 

Based on a spirit of design, education, environment, urban-placemaking, and civic engagement, the firm is notably structured as an interdisciplinary design practice that embraces collaboration. To make a bigger impact on the world, Mithun evolved from an architecture-centric practice to a collaborative interdisciplinary, project-centric practice that succeeds by integrating multiple design disciplines into the design process. Today, in addition to architecture, their integrated design model includes landscape architecture, urban design, planning, and research and development.

Dave presented the four pillars of the Mithun design firm: Collaborative Interdisciplinary Model, Centering Equity, Sustainable Design Leadership, and Innovative Research.

Collaborative Interdisciplinary Model

Meant to dispel the myth of the “all-knowing genius designer,” the new paradigm of architecture is to “collaborate, listen, and lead the process.” For Mithun, all disciplines having a “seat at the table” is both figurative and literal. In addition to each collaborator contributing input during design, the firm has been amplifying collaboration for years by embracing the laptop so that all team members can sit around the “big table” and screen to work together.

Centering Equity

While acknowledging the majority-white led firm and profession in general, Mithun is committed to using design to combat racism, bias, and discrimination in all forms. In addition to work on affordable housing projects and work with tribal and underserved communities, Mithun provides pro-bono design services by contributing approximately 1% of their net revenues annually.

Sustainable Design Leadership

Wide-ranging evidence of Mithun’s leadership in sustainability includes their early adoption of the 2030 Challenge, carbon-neutral operations since 2004, and seven AIA COTE design awards. Additionally, the firm helped develop the LEED Neighborhood Development program, Sustainable Sites Initiative, and created a Build Carbon Neutral online calculator to estimate the embodied carbon of construction projects.

Innovative Research

In 2016, Mithun formalized their R+D efforts to build upon past research and innovation success. Mithun R+D was created to sponsor internal project research, external partnerships, and intellectual research pursuits. Since the R+D formalization, the firm has funded over $1 million and 10,000 hours of research, with the participation of more than 100 Mithun staff.

Concluding the presentation, Dave shared their Louisiana Children’s Museum project that embodies the values and firm mission of “Design for Positive Change.” An AIA COTE Top Ten Plus Award winner, the project creates an outdoor learning laboratory for the children of New Orleans that exemplifies the triple bottom line of social well-being, environmental health, and a just economy. “Growing out of the trauma of Hurricane Katrina, the project became a model of resilience, integration of landscape, and bioclimatic design.”

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Dave’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, HASLA, Principal, Ross Barney Architects, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Carol Ross Barney was a refreshing start to the final day of the conference. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the breadth of the history of Chicago, the impact of cities on the environment, and how we can make an impact one project at a time, was not only informational, but also inspirational. Carol also delivered this with a great sense of humor that was much appreciated first thing in the morning. 

Some striking statistics Carol shared to set the scene is that in 2000, 50% of the world’s population lived in cities, today that number has increased to 56%. By 2050 the urban population is expected to double, with 7 out of 10 people living in cities. That is some serious density. Cities are also hugely imperfect and have a significant impact on our environment. One third of energy and carbon consumption are generated by cities. 

One way that Ross Barney Architects is hoping to improve on this situation is the revitalization and reconstruction of some of the Chicago (CTA) train stations that were demolished during the 1960’s and 70’s. We thought we had solved it all with the vehicle and interstates, and as such, we felt confident in demolishing critical infrastructure. 

With the growth of cities and the environmental impact they have, infrastructure, especially mass transit, is extremely important. Ross Barney has been working with the City of Chicago on innovative ways to rebuild some of these lost stations, often with the lines remaining active. Through these projects, the team has addressed significant noise pollution issues (one station was above the OSHA approved decibel rating for a warehouse working environment), protection from the Chicago weather, and self-cleaning precast concrete solutions. 

Carol also shared the firm’s resiliency work with McDonalds. Yes, you read that right. Ross Barney Architects designed the first ever LEED certified McDonalds in Chicago. Based on that success, McDonalds came back and asked for a Net Zero restaurant at Disney World in Orlando. Not only does the climate make that a difficult task, but also the significant energy consumption required for the cooklines. 

The project utilized creative, automatic louvers for cross ventilation, a full roof of PV, and a cutting edge “stand by cook line.” Typically, cook lines are running constantly and thus consuming significant energy. For this project, Ross Barney and McDonalds worked with the manufacturers to develop a standby line; this allowed the energy consumption to be drastically reduced and the goal of net zero to be within reach. With the addition of passive cooling technology via the automatic louvers, building form, and the solar roof, the project was able to meet net zero. 

A fun tidbit to the Disney World McDonalds was the lawyer’s requirement that the building have an audio notice prior to the louvers opening instructing the patrons that “the building is about to breathe; please keep fingers clear of the louvers.” ….the hot coffee incident really left a mark on their legal team.

Carol rounded out her presentation with some work the firm has been doing in smaller cities. One such project was the Railyard Park in Rodgers, Arkansas. This town of 75,000 people was once a “water stop” along the Frisco rail line. Their downtown was bordered by the abandoned loading space and previous site of the train depot; leaving a large swath of unutilized area. Ross Barney Architects designed a park within this space for the community to use, which was the product of many community engagement efforts. The city has adopted the park as their space and holds frequent events (up to four a week) within it. A previously underutilized space has been reborn as a gathering place for the community. 

Carol’s presentation covered a lot of ground and a variety of project types and scales. The biggest take away for me was to not be overwhelmed with trying to fix whole cities at once. Focus on the individual project and what impact it can have on the city and the community. Collectively and over time, with thoughtful design, we can make meaningful change in our communities. Bonus points if you can do it with a little humor. 

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Carol’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by Laura Britton, AIA, Associate, Shigeru Ban Architects, Dean Maltz, AIA, Partner, Shigeru Ban Architects, and Greg Kingsley, PhD, PE, President & CEO. KL&A, Engineers & Builders at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Capping off the 2023 Practice + Design Conference, the fourth and final keynote presentation explored Shigeru Ban’s collaborative approach to architecture, engineering, and construction through a series of case studies representing the architects’ 38-year trajectory of work in wood.

Why Wood?

Wood is a renewable resource, it is often locally sourced, it provides biophilic design benefits, it helps achieve clean construction sites, and it is a high-performing material from a carbon sequestration and life-cycle analysis perspective.

What is mass timber?

Mass timber is solid wood building products, such as glulam beams and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels that use small diameter timber to build up large structural elements. The small diameter timber provides the responsibly sourced material that can help manage forests. Additionally, timber is generally oversized to prevent burning by allowing the outer layer to char, and an example of a 1,300 year old Japanese temple was shown as evidence of the materials longevity.

Shigeru Ban Architect’s strength is how the material informs the building form and provides integrated structural and architectural solutions that portray a building’s authenticity. In many solutions, the structure is also the finish.

Because timber design and construction necessitate an interdisciplinary approach at the project’s outset, structural engineer Greg Kingsley was there to present ten key considerations for every timber project.

1. Is timber the right solution? It is not right for every project!
2. Establish your building type and understand the code requirements.
3. What is your fire-resistance rating?
4. Acoustic requirements (timber is inherently bad for acoustics)
5. Establish your grid (deflection and vibration criteria)
6. MEP strategy?
7. Optimize for wood volume.
8. Find potential suppliers.
9. Connection design
10. Erection strategy and tolerances

These code and engineering questions are all critical to the final architectural solution and need to be addressed early. Following these important considerations, the group presented a series of case studies that demonstrated successful and iconic timber projects and the practice’s design evolution in the building material.

Case Studies

GC Osaka Building – Feature: wooden fire protection around steel structure. This project demonstrated an early and innovative use of timber in construction. The building used a steel structure, but for the fireproofing Shigeru Ban tested and proved that a wood wrap will provide the necessary fire rating as well as the final wood finish.

Tamadic Nagoya – Feature: CLT concrete formwork left in place for wood finish and added strength.  Similar to the GC Osaka project, concrete was required structurally, but CLT formwork was used as a leave-in-place form to influence the final look of the building.

Centre Pompidou Metz – Feature: laminated wood in hexagonal woven pattern. This project exhibited the strength of wood as a building material in the final architectural form, however, this earlier example still relied on elements of steel at the connection points of the grid.

Tamedia New Office Building – Feature: seven story rigid frame entirely out of timber without steel joints or braces. In this project, the integration of architecture and structure succeeded in a fully wood frame without the reliance of steel at the joints.

Aspen Art Museum – Feature: long-span timber space frame roof structure with woven wood panel façade. This building starts to show more sophistication by the wood-only connections and CNC curved truss webs that gradually increase in depth at column locations to withstand additional forces.

Swatch Omega / Omega Factory – Feature: timber grid structure that mirrored the precision, clean, and quiet construction of the watches created in the buildings. Because of its undulating shape, the timber structure in this project was built from a digital, parametric model rather than traditional construction drawings. It was also a highly integrated design which used contiguous perforated ceiling panels to allow low volume air distribution to meet clean room standards, ETFE roof cushions for daylight, glass, CLT solid panels, and PV panels. The entire volume of timber used (4,600m³) corresponds to 10 hours of growth of all of Switzerland’s trees.

Kentucky Owl Park – Feature: multiple timber structures in a park setting at one of the oldest whiskey distilleries in the U.S. The buildings showcased the distilling process and incorporated visual elements of the local bourbon-making process

The case study presentation provided an overview of Shigeru Ban’s design evolution, illustrating the progression from cardboard tubes to the sophisticated parametric digital fabrication of timber elements.  Ban’s commitment to innovation and sustainability was evident throughout the trajectory of his career.

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Laura and Dean’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by Damon Leverett, AIA, Senior Adjunct Lecturer, University of Arizona, President, AIA Arizona at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Pre-Conference.

In a thought-provoking lecture delivered by Damon Leverett, the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and architecture took center stage, with a specific focus on the fascinating avenue of Image to Text. This comprehensive primer, grounded in meticulous observations and studies, sought to demystify AI’s role in reshaping the architectural profession.

Leverett began by prompting attendees to confront a crucial question: What is your greatest fear about AI in the architecture profession? This introspective query set the tone for a discourse that aimed to address both the promises and perils of integrating AI into architectural workflows.

A pivotal historical context was provided, revealing that the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is no newcomer to technological advancements, tracing its roots back to a conference in 1956. Leverett highlighted the sporadic evolution of AI tools over the years, from the advent of Google assistance to the omnipresence of Alexa, search engines, autocorrect, and Grammarly. The evolution of these tools underscored the gradual incorporation of AI into our daily lives, laying the groundwork for its application in the field of architecture.

The lecture emphasized the contemporary relevance of AI in architecture, pointing to the evolution of cloud technology as a key enabler. Leverett noted that the capacity to handle vast datasets securely in the cloud has propelled AI into the forefront of architectural innovation. The lecture then delved into various AI pathways, including Text to Text with Chat GPT, Text to Image exemplified by Midjourny, and other applications such as Text to Code and Text to Speech.

One of the standout applications highlighted was the use of Drone LiDAR in architecture, showcasing its ability to identify errors in construction processes. Among the AI platforms discussed, Stable Diffusion, Leonardo, and Midjourny were examined, with Midjourny emerging as a frontrunner, outperforming others by a significant margin.

The mechanics of AI-generated images were elucidated, with a focus on Machine Learning, Text to Image processes, and Natural Language Processing. Leverett emphasized the importance of alignment in generating desired outcomes and explored the diffusion process, drawing an analogy from a ball to illustrate the transformation from possibility to certainty.

Practical insights into writing effective prompts for AI were shared, outlining a systematic approach that starts with the highest priority information and progressively adds details. The “magic word” concept, exemplified by terms like “molten glass” or “cubic,” showcased the ability of AI to produce visually stunning outcomes based on specific prompts.

Ethical considerations in AI-driven design were underscored, urging practitioners not to use living architects’ names in prompts and emphasizing the distinction between copying a building and emulating a style. Leverett signed his work with “+AI,” highlighting the collaborative nature of AI and human creativity. The lecture touched upon AI’s capacity to rapidly produce architectural precedents, a process that would traditionally require extensive global exploration.

The discourse then delved into the realms of Blending, Weighting, and Editing in AI, with a focus on techniques that were still in their infancy, including the combination of images and prompts. The concept of “Describe,” where AI generates textual descriptions of images, showcased the potential of AI in enhancing architectural communication.

Ethical considerations resurfaced, delving into questions surrounding copyright infringement and the use of living architects’ names. Leverett presented case studies, including an exploration of AI as an inspirational tool in a high school gym project and its role as a modeling and processing tool in a technology museum.

The lecture closed with a contemplation of the ethical dimensions of AI in the art world, particularly in a case where AI-generated art bore a resemblance to an artist’s work. Leverett urged caution, reminding attendees not to rely on AI results as absolute facts. The presentation acknowledged that the field is in beta, and while AI is a powerful tool for critical thinking in education, it will continue to evolve over the next 4-5 years.

In essence, Damon Leverett’s lecture provided a rich tapestry of insights, navigating the intricate landscape of AI in architecture. Attendees left with not only a heightened awareness of the transformative potential of AI but also a sense of responsibility to wield this technology ethically and thoughtfully in the pursuit of architectural innovation.

*Text composed by ChatGPT with the prompt: Write an 500-1000 word editorial summary for a lecture about AI in architecture. Use my notes: (human authored notes here).

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Damon’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented Friday, November 17, 2023, by Stephen Parker, AIA, and Shahad Sadeq, Assoc. AIA, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Elevate, Educate, Advocate

These are the three words that began the presentation on design strategies for mental health facilities.  The question was asked: how can we as a profession use our collective knowledge and expertise to address the critical issue of mental health? 

This workshop was conducted in two parts. Part one was to listen to a patient’s experience of checking in and residing in a mental health clinic. Part two was a hands-on sketching session that considered the experience of a woman with post-partum depression.

Listen

Shahad graciously told her experience of walking into the “best” psychiatric clinic in Dallas as she struggled with a nervous breakdown. She detailed personal, yet common, experiences of everyday life in a prototypical facility that falls short of the unique needs of a mental health patient. This included spaces, objects, and social dynamics which were both simple and complex such as: doors and door locks, temperature control, color and light temperature, food and exercise options for holistic health, and group spaces that can trigger sensitivities in other patients. These issues were all framed by acknowledging the challenge that mental health care facilities face in the form of budget and staffing shortages.

How do these challenges begin to be solved? It starts with “dignity driven” solutions that give patients agency in their experiences.

Sketch

After listening to a personal experience articulated the way many patients may not be able to, the audience was asked to break out into small groups and consider the following design strategies: empathy, experiential (right type/amount of stimuli), social integrators, recovery integrated, cultural competency (i.e. access to the sky is important for many indigenous cultures), patient autonomy, co-production, nature as therapy, play, voice and choice, art as therapy, reduced barriers between patient and care-giver, and care-giver burnout.

In small groups, while considering the design strategies above, the audience discuss, wrote, and sketched graphic solutions to the following four questions for a mother with post-partum depression:

1. What does she say and do?
2. What does she think and feel?
3. What does she hear?
4. What does she see?

This profound exercise where a collective group of people sit down with pen and paper to discuss, empathize, and consider what another human’s experience might look and feel like suggests a critical methodology that we as designers should follow to design dignified spaces for our vulnerable family friends, and neighbors. The sketch session then forced us all to graphically illustrate potential solutions that might be realized in the built environment as solutions, or at the least, provide a higher sensitivity to the patients that rely on these facilities.

The results of the workshop, in addition to providing a sense of discovery for the audience, also gave the presenters additional information and data for their evolving research. This diverse panel of nationally-recognized designers and planners continue to embark on their research, experiments, and prototyping that endeavor to synthesize new design solutions for the mental health built environment.

Presented on November 17, 2023 by Elizabeth Gillmor, President and Founder of Energetics Consulting Engineers, LLC, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Ms. Gillmor provided important information about current and upcoming energy codes that impact the design and operation of new and existing buildings throughout the state of Colorado. She reviewed the latest changes in the energy codes, the impact of energy codes on climate change, the different compliance paths for meeting energy code requirements, and what to look out for during design and construction phases. She included valuable guidelines and resources to help architects succeed in conforming to the state’s energy codes. 

Both new and existing commercial and residential projects are affected by the changing energy codes, so staying current on state and local energy code requirements and amendments is important. Ms. Gillmor led attendees through state and local commercial and residential energy code requirements and compliance paths, including the variety of prescriptive and performance methods, and the residential ERI Method. 

Attendees also learned about 2021 IECC Commercial C406 Efficiency Points, Residential R408 Efficiency Points, and EUI Targets. The “Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code” that became available in July 2023 will start coming into play in 2024 as jurisdictions adopt new codes. Three main parts of Colorado’s new code requirements are requiring buildings to be electric ready and solar ready, and provide electric vehicle charging stations. She also presented how one may avoid some of the electric ready requirements for large commercial buildings that demonstrate a substantial cost differential (>1% MEP costs).

Electric power, transportation, and buildings are the top three contributors to carbon emissions. Low emissions electricity is coming fast as Xcel Energy works on meeting 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. Electric energy is the only path to zero emissions, and designing for all-electric or even electric ready buildings gets more fuel uses on an ever-improving grid. The more building electrification one includes in a project, the easier it is for a project to comply with the codes. Some requirements include meeting certain energy efficiency requirements by a certain date, so one must pay attention to upcoming deadlines to implement changes early enough to meet those deadlines.

Ms. Gilmor presented how to conform to energy code requirements successfully and efficiently during the SD and DD phases, permitting phase, and construction phase. She encouraged attendees to start discussions early with the design team about a project’s energy code requirements and other sustainability goals to evaluate which compliance path is best, identify potential architectural and structural impacts, plan for compliance, and make the topic a part of regular project meetings. If a design team has a good early plan, the permitting process is much easier. 

Prior to submitting for permitting, it is important to check the design and specifications for compliance with new energy code requirements. One needs to keep energy compliance in mind during the construction phase as well, to protect the critical elements of compliance during submittal review and coordinate required testing and inspections with the contractor. For example, the 2021 IECC and beyond requires air leakage testing for almost all building types, commercial and residential. 

A building’s size, type, age, and jurisdiction in which it resides all influence which energy code requirements apply to a project. It is important for architects to stay up to date on energy code changes and new requirements as they frequently change and improve. To design a building efficiently, one must identify all energy code requirements early in the design process to understand which requirements could impact the design and construction of a building and its systems. 

Presented on November 17, 2023 by Corey Chinn, LEED AP, Mechanical Engineer, Commissioning Manager, Farnsworth Group, Inc., Jessica Massie, IIDA, RA, NCIDQ, NCARB, CHID, Senior Associate, RTA Architects, and Kevin Gould, AIA, Principal Architect, RTA Architects, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

During Day 1 Innovation Labs, RTA Architects and Farnsworth Group presented a case study of the Pueblo Community Health Center’s New East Side Clinic. According to the New Buildings Institute (NBI), this project is the first verified Zero Energy outpatient clinic in North America. During the session, a joint presentation was given by RTA’s Kevin Gould and Jessica Massie and Farnsworth Group’s Corey Chinn to exhibit the collaboration and key strategies that led to the success of the project.

The Pueblo Community Health Center provides medical, behavioral health, dental services, and pharmacy services to the poor and underserved population of Pueblo. Determined to be an area of greatest need, Pueblo’s East Side planned to build a replacement facility starting in 2017.

At the project outset, three project pillars were identified: Board Vision, Community Vision, and the Business Case.  

Board Vision

Evidence of climate change’s adverse effects on human health and health systems was presented from the New England Journal of Medicine, stating that substantial increases in morbidity and mortality could be expected as an effect of climate change and that vulnerable populations would be disproportionately affected.

Community Vision

As a city, Pueblo has established a goal of being powered by 100% renewable energy sources by 2035.  They are only the 22^nd city in the U.S. to commit to completely renewable energy sources.

Business Case

The Business Case started by setting goals while the evidence and solutions took shape while going through the design process.

The New East Side Clinic was designed as a replacement to the Colorado Clinic building, and it entailed 63,896 SF of space at a cost of $24 million. The original energy target for the project was to have a 50% energy-use reduction over the Colorado Energy Star Benchmarking. Using that target as a launch point, the team then described what it took to reach net zero. The following are the key take aways:

1. Zero energy doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Sustainable design + energy efficiency + renewable energy = potential for a zero-energy project.
2. For every step of the design process (i.e. pre-design through construction documents) the entire team should write down the vision and evaluate where they stand.  The constant check-in will help create the downward trajectory of energy use.
3. The whole is greater than the sum of parts – energy savings comes from every member of the team.
4. Results equal real owner savings than can be reinvested.

Through the leadership of the design team, discipline-specific performance goals were set and tracked. This integrated approach to reach the energy goals was continuously modeled during the entire process to reach initial energy goals. With this approach beginning early in the project, reaching the energy goal was achieved with time to spare to exceed it.  

Adding to an already energy efficient design, on-site renewable energy sources were then added to achieve zero energy. The two major applications included a photo-voltaic (PV) array and a ground source heat pump. The additional investments exemplified the take-ways list above. Although the ground source heat pump was an expensive initial investment, it eliminated roof top mechanical units which made room for additional PV. As a bonus, it reduced the amount of PV required due to the energy savings. Ultimately, the money saved by the owner in energy cost outweighed the initial investment, making a strong business case for the initial vision.

As a conclusion, the modeling revealed that Zero Energy building design cost 6.25% more than traditional construction, but it improved its ROI from the 13-year baseline down to a 7-year ROI. The result was a New Buildings Institute Zero Energy verification, not certification that has been supported by 12 months of utility bills to verify success.

This project has become a building of pride for the Pueblo community and has generated momentum for future building projects in the community.